orcas island 

I just purchased this early 1970's Motobecane Grand Record from a forum member (Thanks, Von Carlos!) and had a question about the brakes. Most Motos I've seen are sporting Weinmann centerpulls. Did Motobecane ever spec' MAFAC racers on their bikes, or were these likely changed out at some point in the past? It's a beautiful bike; my terrible cell phone photos don't do justice to the fantastic yellow paint...

I picked it up looking for a suitable mount for next years Eroica. Anyone with knowledge about original equipment brakes, or general expertise about Grand Records of this vintage? Thanks in advance!

CV-6 

My Grand Touring had Mafac Racers on it when purchased ca 1973. They were great for warning people you were about to hit them.

orcas island 

I've owned a few sets of "shrieking" MAFACs as well. Just haven't seen them on a GR before...

CV-6 

Indeed. For that matter I have not seen a GR with a Stronglight 49 either. What color is that? Colors don't always reproduce well by the time it goes through the camera and onto the monitor.

juvela

Back around the time of the o.p.'s bike and Lynn's I had a local bicycle rebuilder friend who referred to them as "elefante trumpeter brakes." always thought that most apt. they need to toed in a whole lot...

I really like this colour. The jaune MB's from around this time I have seen previously were a more saturated jaune.

As mentioned above, have also never seen a GR model fitted with a 49D chainset. The hex head c/w bolts tell us that the set cannot be later than '73, the transition year to allen key c/w bolts.

orcas island 

The color of the bike is a very rich and vivid yellow, my cell phone pics are particularly lousy, making the color look pale and washed out. Was a more common crankset for the GR a Stronglight model 93, or did Campy show up there? I think this bike is either a 1971 or 72? Perhaps others have more knowledge of the color/year progression for GR's. The rear derailleur is stamped Pat. 72...

rootboy 

Should have been either Weinmann 999's or Universal 61's according to the catalogs.

juvela

thanks for the colour clarification. so the same as the one used on the GT model. yes to 93 for the chainset.

verktyg 

I've seen some pictures of early 70's Motobecanes with MAFAC brakes but they were built during the Bike Boom era and....

"les spécifications sont sujettes à modification sans préavis" Maybe Universal and Weinmann brakes were unavailable that month???

Here's a better picture of @orcas island 's bike:



I'm halfway finished putting together a 1970-71 Grand Record. The paint was 9 out of 10 when I got the frame earlier this year. I'm restoring it to almost original state with Universal Mod 61 center pull brakes.



Here's a 1969? Moto Grand Touring model with MAFAC brakes. Looks pretty much original except for Suntour derailleurs. These were made with 1020 tuyau de gaz tubing.




Ben Lawee was the US importer/distributor during those years had a lot of sway with Motobecane. He also knew how to market bikes!

From a practical point of view, both Universal and MAFAC brake levers were too big for many cyclist's hands. Add to that the poor reputation MAFAC brakes had in the US (noisy and hard to adjust) plus price and other issues with Universal brakes, that opened the door for Weinmann to become the primary brake supplier to Motobecane.

From about 1974 on into the 1980's most Motobecane models came with Weinmann brakes - center pulls or the upgrades side pull models on the more expensive bikes.


@CV-6 Grand Records came with Stronglight Mod 49 cranks through 1973. In 1974 they switched to Stronglight 93 cranks but the 3 arm TA cranks were also used. I have a picture of an early 70's GR with a Nervar crankset.

verktyg

Chas.

orcas island 

Chas- where were you able to dig up that photo of my bike?? Methinks I need a new camera and some technique to go with it! Nice to hear that the cranks were probably original. Would it be sacrilege to add either a set of Campy side pulls or Universal 68's to the bike?

rootboy 

Super 68's wouldn't be too far out, though they didn't appear until the later Grand Records. I have a 74 Motobecane that I put Campy side pulls on, which originally came with Super 68's. Sort of completes the full Campy look.

juvela

MB also used CLB on some models -

verktyg 

Campy brakes would be like putting silk stockings on a rooster!

My first "all Campy" bike, a 1971 Gitane Super Corsa came with MAFAC brakes. I bought it at an end of the year clearance sale for $150!

Center pull brakes were déclassé so I drank the side pull Kool Aid and replaced them with Universal Mod 68's. Big disappointment! They didn't stop for merde plus the levers were too big for my reach.

The Universal brake pads were useless for anything other than polishing rims! At least the MAFACs stopped! I changed the Universal brake pads to Weinmann 4 block red pads and they worked a lot better (but not as well as the origonal MAFACs).

If you want C&V but want to stop I'd give the MAFACs a shot.

Brake screech is great to put abject fear into the hearts of surely currs and dumb, unconscious pedestrians!

verktyg

Chas.

crank_addict

'72 Le Champion (US market) came with "Racers"

mtnbke

I think there was a law at one point that bikes had to leave the shop with reflectors and MAFAC racers.

tiger1964 

Loud Brakes Save Lives...

Grand Bois

I didn't think you were capable of writing such a short post. Did you switch to decaf?